Planning Minister Chris Steel says demand is strong for land where community facilities can be built. Photo: Ian Bushnell.
More than 23,000 sqm of public land will be released across the ACT for the construction of community facilities through an expression of interest process later this month.
The ACT Government has identified six blocks of Community Facility Zoned land in Gungahlin, Chisholm, Evatt, Kambah, Gowrie and the Molonglo Town Centre, and it says a seventh will be released in a future suburb of the Molonglo Valley as soon as practicable.
Applicants responding to the EOI will need to show community demand for the facility against those uses identified for each block, including how the community will benefit.
Organisations will also need to consider potential impacts to the surrounding area – such as traffic, noise, lights, and impacts on parking and tree cover – and how they would limit them.
The initial six blocks identified sizes and their uses are:
- Gungahlin, 4075 sqm for a Community Activity Centre or Religious Associated Use
- Chisholm, 12,284 sqm for a Place of Worship, Community Activity Centre, Indoor Recreation Centre or Outdoor Activity Centre
- Evatt, 1872 sqm for a Place of Worship or Community Activity Centre
- Kambah, 1523 sqm for Community Activity Centre
- Gowrie, 1692 sqm for a Place of Worship, Community Activity Centre or Residential Aged Care
- Molonglo Town Centre, a site between 2000 sqm and 4000 sqm for a Place of Worship. A forthcoming Subdivision Design Application will finalise the exact size and location of the block.
The seventh block, which will be located in a future suburb within ‘Molonglo 3’, east of Whitlam, will be subject to current planning processes, with the final uses to be supported by the recently conducted Molonglo Valley Community Needs Assessment.
Planning Minister Chris Steel said the Statement of Planning Priorities identified releasing land to create more community facilities as an immediate priority to support cultural, recreational and social connections in suburbs.
Mr Steel said more than 20 organisations, including sporting, community, and multicultural and religious groups had already registered their interest with the government for the release of community land, showing there was a continued demand for space to deliver new community facilities.
“I encourage community groups proposing new facilities to express their interest in these blocks and participate in this fair EOI process,” he said.
“The ACT Government will also continue to undertake community needs assessments to inform further releases of community land to meet the growing and diverse needs of our community.”
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said it was important for community facilities such as places of worship to be close to where people lived.
“Through this EOI process, we’re looking at community uses and places of worship that will provide opportunities for our communities whilst also recognising the cultural and religious diversity in the territory,” he said.
“More diversity of choice in places close to home means people won’t need to travel as far to have their needs met, and it will improve the health and wellbeing of all Canberrans who take advantage of these hubs.”
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